Remove Offline Address Book (OAB) in Exchange

You can’t remove the Offline Address Book (OAB) in Exchange. You want to remove the OAB because you want to decommission Exchange 2010, or you don’t need it anymore. Why is it happening? In this article, you will learn why it is happening and how to solve the issue.

Error message can’t remove Offline Address Book

Let’s go through the steps to see the error:

• Start Exchange Management Console
• Expand Microsoft Exchange On-Premises > Organization Configuration and click on Mailbox
• Click the tab Offline Address Book
• Right-click the Offline Address Book
• Click Remove

When removing the Offline Address Book, you get the following error:

Error:
Can’t remove offline address book (OAB) “Default Offline Address Book” because it is in use by one or more address book policies. Before you remove this OAB, assign the address book policies that use this OAB to another one.

The following error screen shows up.

Why are you getting the Offline Address Book can’t remove error?

The Offline Address Book is in use by one or more address book policies. First, you need to assign the policy to another Offline Address Book or remove it. I will remove it as I don’t need it.

Solve error through Exchange Management Console

To remove the Address Book Policy in Exchange Server, follow these steps:

• Start Exchange Management Console
• Expand Microsoft Exchange On-Premises > Organization Configuration and click on Mailbox
• Click the tab Address Book Policies
• Right-click the policy that is associated with the Offline Address Book
• Click Remove

Address Book Policy is removed. There are no items to show in this view.

Remove Offline Address Book

To remove the Offline Address Book in Exchange Server, follow these steps:

• Start Exchange Management Console
• Expand Microsoft Exchange On-Premises > Organization Configuration and click on Mailbox
• Click the tab Offline Address Book
• Right-click the Offline Address Book
• Click Remove

The Offline Address Book is deleted, and the error didn’t show up. That’s fantastic.

Conclusion

You learned why the error shows if you want to remove the Offline Address Book in Exchange. First, remove the assigned address book policy. After that, you can safely delete the OAB.

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